After an unfortunate effort trying to stretch out in distance for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (pulled up to last), the son of Phone Trick didn't run again until March 24 at Belmont, finishing fifth against top class older horses on a 'sloppy' track he didn't handle.
Michael Tabor's Zavata will be among the high profile invaders flying in for Calder Race Course's $1.75 million Summit of Speed program on July 12 and may well be the favorite in the $300,000 Carry Back Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds.Purchased for $575,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton February sales held in the Calder paddock, Zavata is on the comeback trail for trainer Patrick Biancone and looked good winning an allowance race Thursday at Monmouth Park under jockey Tony Farina. He was timed for six furlongs in 1:08 4/5.Zavata was the early season leader of the nation's 2-year-old division at one point last summer after smashing victories in the Tremont Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont in June and Saratoga Special (gr. II) in mid-August. He was the 3-to-10 favorite for the Hopeful (gr. I) at the Spa but finished third to an emerging star in Sky Mesa.
